Defence Minister Theo Francken on Tuesday urged defence companies to invest in Belgium, stressing at an event at the Atlantic Council in Washington that “everyone is welcome.”
Francken revealed on social media platform X that he had visited the Pentagon earlier that day.
During discussions with senior US defence officials, he proposed involving Belgian industries in the production of missiles ordered from US companies. “We made that offer concrete today,” he wrote.
The topic of defence production also surfaced in a conversation at the Atlantic Council. Francken emphasised Belgium’s urgent need for missiles and ammunition, citing critically low stock levels.
He invited both US and European defence companies to invest in Belgium, reiterating: “We’re not picky; everyone is welcome.”
The minister has consistently highlighted the importance of strengthening the defence industry to meet rising demands fuelled by increasing defence budgets.
“Scaling up defence spending from 1.2% to 2% of GDP is challenging,” he explained. “Even if I were given €10 billion more now, I wouldn’t want it without an assurance that it can be spent wisely and efficiently.
"The industry simply cannot keep up at the moment,” he added.
